How to measure emissions from Waste: Average

What counts as Waste: Average

Spend-based average waste activity data, used as a proxy when an organisation cannot obtain weight or material-specific waste data (for example, tonnes of metal, paper, plastic or construction waste). Reported in £ or $ of waste-related spend rather than physical quantity.

Waste: Average is not a waste stream in its own right — it is the spend-based entry point in the data hierarchy for organisations that cannot yet source tonnage or bin-count data for a specific material. Use it only where a material-specific page (such as waste construction, waste metal, waste paper, waste plastic or waste refuse) cannot be populated, and move to that page once weight-based records become available. Because the underlying Scope 3 category depends on which waste stream the spend relates to, keep a note of what each spend line covers so a later switch to physical units does not result in the same waste being counted twice.

What activity data you need

Collect the most specific physical unit available. Unit definitions are in Appendix I — Description of Units.

• $ Spend
• £ Spend

Which emission scope it falls under

Waste: Average activity data typically maps to Scope 3 under the GHG Protocol. Confirm organisational boundary and ownership before reporting.

Sub-types available in the platform

All 2 sub-types available in the platform.

• Waste: Average
• Waste: Average: UK

Common questions

When should I use spend-based waste data instead of weight-based data?

Use Waste: Average only when you cannot obtain tonnage, bin-count or waste transfer note data for a specific stream such as metal, paper, plastic, construction or refuse waste. Spend-based data sits at the bottom of the data hierarchy and should be treated as a temporary measure while better records are put in place.

Which Scope 3 category does spend-based waste data map to?

It typically maps to Scope 3, but the exact category depends on which waste stream the spend covers — most commonly Category 5 (Waste Generated in Operations) for disposal costs. Keep a record of what each spend line relates to so the category can be confirmed.

Should I report in £ or $ spend?

Use whichever currency your invoices and accounting records are held in; the two available units are £ Spend and $ Spend. Keep the currency consistent within a single reporting period so totals aren't mixed.

How do I move from spend-based to weight-based waste reporting?

Start requesting tonnage figures or waste transfer notes from your contractor for at least one waste stream, then report that stream on its material-specific page (such as waste metal or waste paper) instead of here, and stop counting it under Waste: Average to avoid double-counting.

Can I use Waste: Average alongside material-specific waste pages in the same year?

Yes, provided each waste stream is only counted once — use Waste: Average for the streams you cannot yet break out, and the relevant material-specific page for the streams you can. Document the split so reviewers can see there's no overlap.